National still ahead in polls despite 'rapist' remarks

The latest 3 News/Reid Research poll shows National is unscathed by John Key's "rapists and murderers" Parliamentary attack. Although the Prime Minister's personal popularity has taken a hit.

Mr Key has been completely unrepentant since he made the remarks, and says he'd do it all again.

The remarks seem to have had an effect, Mr Key is still the preferred Prime Minister but he has taken a 1.2 percent dip in the polls. He now sits on 38.3 percent.

As for Andrew Little, he now sits on 10.4 percent and Winston Peters is on 9.3 percent.

Perhaps the biggest though is Jacinda Ardern. She has risen to 4.2 percent.

Despite the drop, Mr Key doesn’t think the rapists attack is to blame. Mr Little on the other hand says he knows the comments are not sitting well with the public.

"I'm surprised at the number of young people that have come to me and said you can't go making comments like that."

Up until that deportation and detainee debate, The Prime Minister was on a powerful roll.

But it revolted the opposition - especially the likes of Metiria Turei.

"It's eroding support for him, particularly from women voters."

Mr Key is still riding incredibly high above all those against him. However, there is a trend in the latest poll he won't like.

For six years his preferred Prime Minister's rating was almost always in the 40 percent region. Now he has dropped into the 30 percent region after that pony-tail pulling charade. He has been there since.

New Zealand First leader, Winston Peters, says the drop in favourability should concern Mr Key.

"The tide runs out for even the biggest PR operation."

Andrew Little had a big show at the Labour Party conference a few weeks back. He has since hit a ceiling in terms of popularity. He is adamant though, he is not jealous of Ms Ardern's results.

Mr Key says he thinks the polls have stayed the same for one reason in particular.

"They are just spending a lot of time being negative against the Government and not proposing anything."